The capture by the Israel Defense Forces of Lebanon’s Beaufort Castle marks one of Jerusalem’s most significant achievements against Hezbollah since the start of the war, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said on Sunday.
“Our heroic soldiers captured the Beaufort Castle in Lebanon and proudly raised the flag of the State of Israel,” said PMO spokeswoman Shosh Bedrosian in a video statement.
The move “will allow us to extend and deepen our hold on locations that were under Hezbollah’s control,” Bedrosian continued. “Hezbollah has nowhere to hide now,” she declared.
The spokeswoman noted that since the start of the War of Redemption, which was sparked by Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, massacre, the IDF had eliminated 8,000 Hezbollah operatives, including some 3,000 since “Operation Roaring Lion” against Iran kicked off on Feb. 28.
“Our fight against Hezbollah continues to extend and deepen, as the terrorist organization is continuously attacking our civilian communities and our security forces,” she stated, adding that the Iranian-backed terror group had fired nearly 90 rockets over the course of the last 24 hours.
“Israel will continue dismantling the terrorist organization’s military capabilities until the threat it poses to our citizens is removed,” said Bedrosian. “The lesson of Oct. 7 is clear: Israel will never again allow genocidal terrorists anywhere near our borders,” she continued.
“Those who threaten Israel’s citizens should know: Israel has the will and Israel has the capacity and the determination to remove the Hezbollah threat,” she concluded.
Israeli forces seized Beaufort Castle near the city of Nabatieh as part of the army’s efforts to “eliminate the direct threat to communities in the Galilee Panhandle, including Metula,” the IDF said earlier on Sunday.
Beaufort Ridge is a strategic elevation overlooking the Litani River. It features the 12th-century Crusader fortress that sits 2,330 feet above sea level, commanding sweeping views of the region.
Troops have been advancing deeper into Lebanon for several days after crossing the Litani River, and are now some 5 kilometers, or 3 miles, from Nabatieh, a major urban center and Hezbollah stronghold.
Hezbollah renewed its rocket and drone attacks on Israel on March 2, following the targeted killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei during the opening stages of “Operation Roaring Lion” on Feb. 28.
In response, Israel launched a broad aerial campaign against Hezbollah targets and expanded military operations in Southern Lebanon aimed at preventing cross-border attacks on Israeli communities.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on April 26 accused Hezbollah of “essentially disintegrating” the fragile truce, which was extended for another 45 days last month.
“Therefore, as far as we are concerned, what obligates us is the security of Israel, the security of our soldiers, and the security of our communities,” the prime minister said. “We are acting vigorously according to the rules we agreed upon with the United States, and incidentally, with Lebanon as well.”
